Spring-wheel.



P. BRAD Y.

SPRING WHEEL. APPLICATION HLED DEOZI. I515.

Patented Jan. 16, 1917.

. invention.

PHILIP BRADY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SPRING-THEE L.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 16, 1917.

Application filed December 21. 1915. Serial No. 67,973.

To all whom it may concern:

lie it known that I, PHILIP BRADY, a citizen of the United States, andresident of the city of New York. in the county of New York and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSpring-'Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in spring wheels and the objectof the invention is to improve the construction of spring wheels and toprovide a simple, practical and generally improved spring wheel ofrelatively inexpensive construction adapted for use with motor or othervehicles.

(lther objects of the invention will appear as this specificationproceeds.

Accordingly my invention is embodied in a spring wheel comprising suchparts and elements arranged and combined as hereinafter described andclaimed and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which- Figure1 is a view in elevation. with parts in section of a. spring wheelembodying my F ig. 2 is a substantially transverse sectional view of theWheel, and Fig. 3 shows a modified flange construction.

The spring wheel comprises two main elemcnts, an inner wheel and anouter rim member. The inner wheel consists of the hub 5, the spokes 6and the folly 7, all of which may be of anv suitable material andconstruction adapted or the vehicle with which the wheel is to be used.

The spring run member consists of the mm. preferably in the form of achannel 8. Through the sides 9 of the said channel pass the bolts 10which are spaced equallv cirmunfercntiallv in the rim. Upon each bolt 10is mounted a double leafed spring 11 comprising the socket portion 12surrounding the bolt and the inner and outer leaves 13 and H which areadapted to bear against the said fcllv 7 and the channel 8 respectively.The springs are of a width to fill the channel and are preferablyrounded at the corners l5 to reduce wear.

Outside the chann l 8 on each side thereof". there are providedretaining flanges 16. l6 which extend inwardly over the wheel fellv asat. l? and rvtend outwardly as at l8 to serve as tire securing means forthe sol d rubber Tire 50. The folly 7 of the wheel is Milli enough tofill the space between the flanges i6 as .hown. The retaining flangesare clamped to the rim by the bolts 10 aforesaid and nuts 21 which maybe locked by pins 22 or other suitable means.

The springs 11 are bent in the form of a V and the tension of the springleaves 13 and 11 upon the wheel and rim respectively is relied upon fortransmitting, the power from the wheel to the rim under ordinaryconditions. It may happen, however, that the action of the springs isnot suilicient for this purpose and I therefore provide means. as thebolts in the retaining flanges lfi'and Spaced between the spokes 6. Incase the wheel should turn without also turning the rim at the same timethe bolts 60 will take against the spokes and drive the rim, the springsthen acting only as' resilient elements between the wheel and the rim.

In assembling the wheel, one of the flanges 16 may be laid on the groundwith the bolts inserted therein and pointing upward. The bolts may besquared as at 25 to fit into squared holes in the flange to preventturning. Thereafter the rim 8 is slipped into place over the bolts. thewheel is placed inside the rim and the springs 11 inserted within thechannel and on the bolts. Next the tire may be put on and finally theother flange 16 is secured in position and the nuts screwed down on thebolts. The wheel is then readv for use.

It will be noted as one of the features of this invention that the wheelis entirely disconnected from the rim member. That is, the wheel floatson the springs. Consequently. when a load is put upon the wheel. onlythe lower springs are compressed, while thcuppcr springs expand and actupon the wheel to depress it upon the lower springs. The absence ofphysical connecting means between the wheel and the rim member makes forgreater resiliency as will be understood. At the. same time. the springsare strong enough to prevent slipping ol' the wheel thereon underordinary circumstances.

The outer retaining flanges take up the side thrusts from the wheel andsuch side thrusts are not communicated to the springs which are confinedwithin the channel and therefore mav be and in this case are mmml- 'edupon the bolts in a manner tvr permit them to rotnteor move slightlv onthe bolts to provide self adjustment of the pressure by the springleaves. In fiddition to their function of retaining the wheel inengagement with the springs and within the rim,

the said side retaining flanges serve to keep the tire 50 on the rim asis clearly shown. The tire is easily removed by simply detaching one ofthe flanges 16.

Fig. 3 shows a modified construction in which the retaining flanges arein the form oi disks 161 to prevent dirt from getting into the rim andthe edges 30 are curved outwardly to :wecmnnodate a wider tire.

The contact points of the spring, leaves with the wheel and the rim mayhe staggered as shown or inav be on a radial line.

Other details of construction and changes in design may he made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appendedclaim.

1 claiin:--

A spring wheel comprising an inner wheel and an outer riln disconnectedfrom said inner wheel, a plurality of springs intcrya posed between saidrun and whech each oi said springs and two spring leaves pointing in the:mnw direi'tion and in frictional engagi-nn-nt only with the said rimand wheel. removable flanges lor retaining the said inner wheel withinthe plane of the said outer rim, bolts for securing said flanges to therinn said hulls passing through the socket portion ol' the springs forpositioning the latter on the 1 said run.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this30th day of lleccmber A. D. 1915.

PH] m r on A n consisting of a SOL'hPL portion.

